Insula Alba Resort & Spa

Greece , Crete
ANALIPSIS, Analipsis Village L. Hersonissou
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100 reviews shown

6/10

Pleasant

23 Oct 2025

Douglas

Property is certainly not 5* more like 3 or 4* - quite tired in areas, food options at night very similar, not great quality and lots of food missing as not replenished.
Room quite basic and swim up room was not worth it as ours was in the shade for much of the day.
The property is quiet but lacks choice of facilities.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Aug 2024

Sandeep Kaur

Absolutely fabulous. We travelled as a family and it was our 1st time in Crete and an adults only Hotel, our whole experience was outstanding from the moment we arrived at the hotel till the day of leaving. The staff went above and beyond to help us with our stay. Everything was great and the hotel staff were very friendly. I would definitely recommend the hotel and will go back again.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

19 Jul 2023

Sergio

Great place to relax, good food, excelent service

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Oct 2021

gurvir kaur

Amazing holiday ever

Amazing hotel very clean and very friendly staff hygiene level excellent. Beautiful view of the sea from every side of the hotel. Nice bar with variety of drinks to enjoy the sunshine beside the pool and have a lovely view of the sea front.
highly recommended

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

11 Oct 2021

Karen

Well worth a visit

This is an awesome resort in Crete
From the minute we arrived we was greeted with a lovely smile from Eva on reception
The hotel is extremely clean and the staff are all very helpful and friendly but

Friends_and_family Friends

10/10

Exceptional

03 Oct 2021

Verified traveler

Great hotel. The staff was great and very nice.
Super recommended.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

07 Oct 2020

Noam

Insula Alba is mostly just really pretty.

My first experience from the Insula Alba was the reception.
As I entered with my suitcases, the older of the receptionists rushed to me, panicky looking, and with voice raised let me know that I must leave my luggage outside.
After asking for my and the wife's passports, she again, worried looking, told me I can't enter dinner 'like this'. I was wearing flip flops and a sleeveless shirt (like some summer tourist in Crete, go figure).
It's okay to convey this information, but the way she approached me from the first moment was anything but welcoming. It was more like my presence was soiling her lobby.
Other than that, service was good.
The room is basic for the price, but spacious. There were very okward chairs in the living room, not comfy at all. Bed was decent. Bathroom and shower as well.
Dinner had a very wide variety, but the overall quality and taste was below your average taverna on the street (admittedly a high standard to begin with in Greece). Bright spots were plenty of fresh vegetables, and excellent desserts.
We didn't have a chance to try breakfast.
The hotel is beautiful, especially the pool area.
Overall this hotel is more than decent, but for the price I paid, I feel there were better in Crete.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

29 Oct 2019

Verified traveler

The hotel is excellent. My only complaint is that they charge for water in dinner and do not offer drinks or even tap water as part of the dinner.

Leisure Family

10/10

Exceptional

15 Oct 2019

Chen

Very enjoy, thanks a lot!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

14 Oct 2019

Verified traveler

All the staff is very kind and warm , I like everything

Leisure Partner

8/10

Excellent

10 Oct 2019

Elena

The place is very very nice. Appropriate for a rest

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Sep 2019

Tomer

Little peace of heaven

Gr8 romantic and quit place. For couples. For poeple who eant to cut the routine and the intense life. Gre8 crew. Gr8 food. Gr8 design

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

15 Sep 2019

Eviatar

Paradise

-amazing hotel and staff.
-good food and facilities but there is nothing to do outside the hotel except Hersonissos city center

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

07 Sep 2019

yafa

Amazing hotel!

All was really amazing!
The service, the staff so kind and the food.
The only thing is that our room with the exit to sharing pool has always shadow on our area of the pool and was not available rooms to switch.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Sep 2019

Omri

A perfect amazing hotel

That was amazing vacation. The hotel was perfect, the best hotel I've ever been.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Sep 2019

Shmuel

Very nice place

The service is amazing, the team very kind. very quit and peaceful

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Sep 2019

Sriram

This was the best all inclusive resort we’ve used. The staff and property were superb. We would definitely stay here again and recommend them to all our friends and family. Eva went above and beyond to make our excursion and experience at the resort memorable.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

31 Aug 2019

Peter

Great service and attention to detail.

Fantastic hotel. Would recommend to all couples looking for a relaxing time.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

30 Aug 2019

Verified traveler

The hotel is nice, but you can see little wear and tear in the rooms. Also the food here is average tasting

Leisure Friends

10/10

Exceptional

28 Aug 2019

michal

מלון רמה אחת מעל כולם!!! מלון מהמם! בריכה נקייה וגדולה משקיפה על הים, חדרים נקיים ונוחים, צוות המלון נתן שירות מעל למצופה כל בוקר החליפו מצעים, מגבות ניקו את החדר כמו חדש! בגלל
שאנחנו שומרי כשרות הכינו לנו דג כשר כל
ארוחת ערב ואפילו ביום האחרון תפוא בנייר כסף.. בקיצור מלון מושלם! מיקום מעולה מומלץ מאוד!!!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Aug 2019

Vadim

just chose it , youll not regret

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

22 Aug 2019

Verified traveler

Nice hotel everything is extra- even water

Even water during dinner cost money. Not enough shade around the pool.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

17 Aug 2019

Daniel

Fantastic!

Beyond expectations! Friendly staff, very clean, fantastic pool. Highly recommended, will come back for sure in the future.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

12 Aug 2019

EINAV

Perfect !

It was wonderful! The food, the service, the pool - everything.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Aug 2019

Eilon

מלון מדהים למחיר שלו, מומלץ בחום!

מלון מדהים לזוגות!! צוות מדהים ומפנק, חדר מטורף, בריכה מדהימה, ארוחת בוקר מצוינת. ממליץ לקחת את החדר עם גישה לבריכה.
החיסרון היחיד הוא האוכל בארוחת ערב שהיה סביר+

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

10 Aug 2019

Ori

Great!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Aug 2019

Moran

Great hotel and great staff :)

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

06 Aug 2019

Verified traveler

perfect except one thing the private pool was extremely cold

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

30 Jul 2019

Verified traveler

resort was absolutely beautiful, absolutely can't fault the condition of the resort. Staff overall were absolutely lovely, my less than excellent review of the staff comes from my interactions with management. My partner came to management with a problem and they were hostile and unwilling to help us resolve the issue. Because of this I felt uncomfortable around some of the staff who saw this interaction and felt like I wasn't being heard by those who could help me. When checking out we requested a taxi to the airport for 8:30, the taxi didn't show up until 9:10 causing great distress but the hotel offered no compensation for this. I understand the hotel can't control the taxi driver but they provided the service of booking it. We ended up arriving at the airport much later than I would have liked.

Again general staff and everyone who worked in the resort other than management were lovely and the resort is beautiful.

Friends_and_family Partner

10/10

Exceptional

28 Jul 2019

Sapir

AMAZING!!!!!!

תודעת שירות ברמה גבוה! ארוחות עשירות ומגוונות, קינוחים ברמה יוצאת דופן! חדרים גדולים ובמיוחד חדר עם גישה לבריכה. I want recommend about Reena in the reciption she was amazing, help for us all !!!!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 Jul 2019

NOAM

relaxing holiday

great pool , Nice bar , Super nice staff , big dinner and breakfast. perfect for a relaxing holiday

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

16 Jul 2019

Yuval

The best hotel I've ever been!

The best hotel I've ever been!
Great service, great view, great vibes.
I'm sure I'll be back again

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

08 Jul 2019

Verified traveler

It's fantastic

When we first check in, they give us early check in and we were soo happy bcz it's our honeymoon and we had an early flight, the good things continues, they give us a room upgrade bcz we are VIP member of Hotels.com, we really enjoy our stay in this hotel, food at buffet got many variations, hotel is clean, pillow is nice, everything is perfect for us. Looking forward to stay here again

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Jun 2019

Channa

loved the decor and staff was very friendly. We had great spa treatements and dinner was good 2 out of the 3 nights we ate there.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

15 Jun 2019

Yaron

Welcome to paradise!

A perfect hotel.
From the welcoming and very effective check-in until the check out, everything was magnificent.
The hospitality,the profesional staf,the food was fresh,tasty and rich.
The room and the hotel area are clean and maintained.
We will come back next year!!!
Thank you Mrs. Margarita for everything!
Thank you Manos - the best barman!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 May 2019

Verified traveler

This resort was excellent. It was immaculate and the spa was amazing. The food was top notch. Staff was attentive and the location was perfect. Its the type of holiday to relax. There is a taxi stand outside and stores and restaurants right outside. You can also rent beach chairs for cheap. Make sure you ask for a tour and explanation of services. Some extras we found out by word of mouth and it was too late. Overall 5 star.

Leisure Partner

10/10

Exceptional

27 Oct 2018

David

Great hotel and lovely staff. When we arrived we couldn’t believe how nice it was, above expectations and better than the online photos.

10/10

Exceptional

22 Oct 2018

David

The hotel is superb in almost all aspects and as described a perfect place to relax and stay. The only criticism is the swimming pool areas The pools are all spotless and clean but the whole swimming area including the swim up area is 1.5 mtrs deep (5') so if your under 5'6\" you will not be able to touch the bottom and breath (not great for poor swimmers or those with vertical height limits). There are no gradual steps in only ladders with 3 rungs so unless you can elevate your foot to your waist you cannot reach the bottom step to get out. This is a massive oversite but could be remedied with a set of walking steps at least a one end of the main pool. Other than that with my wife being 5' 2\" so unable to use the pool it was superb.

10/10

Exceptional

09 Oct 2018

Bar

מעולה!

מלון מעולה, מתוחזק היטב, נקי ומסודר. מודרני, אוכל טוב בארוחת הבוקר והערב (מכינים פיצות אישיות בטאבון כל ארוחת ערב). האווירה במלון שקטה מאוד (דגש על מאוד!). מלון כאמור לא לצעירים כך ששבריכה יש שקט מרגיע.
חניה בשפע לבאים עם רכב מושכר. סופר ענק עם הכל (כל מזכרת כל מאכל כל משקה) ממש מטר ימינה, כולל מקום להשכרת רכבים קטנועים וטרקטורונים ואפילו באגי. בקיצור מלון מומלץ ללא מילה אחת רעה.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Sep 2018

Verified traveler

Relaxing and magical stay

We had a wonderful say at Insula, from the moment we checked in the staff was very helpful and attentive. We went for our 1st year anniversary and they gave us a lovely bottle of wine to celebrate. We stayed in a amazing swim up room! it was just magical, in a slightly secluded area of the hotel - which had its advantages and disadvantages (we were away from the main pool areas but we enjoyed privacy and quietness when we were sitting at our pool) The pool area had a great atmosphere and there were always enough pool beds or bean bags which added too the vibe.

We took a half board and the breakfast was always delicious with a large variety at breakfast and dinner, you never really needed any lunch because you were so full. The only negative is that there was no free water and it was hot so we just bought water from the supermarket. The dinner buffet was very nice with many options even for a fussy eater like me.
All in all the stay was really great and enjoyable. There wasn't much to do in the area (unless you wanted to drive to Hersonissos) but we thoroughly enjoyed our time here.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

22 Sep 2018

michael

Amazing hotel for couple

Amazing staff, friendly, helping and guiding.
The hotel looks wonderful and provide relaxing environments, everything in white.
The main pool and the bar are providing best entertainment

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

20 Sep 2018

Kelly

Wonderful

Heaven on earth. Repeat stay for us and we received extra special treatment - celebratory wine and nibbles to our room. Nothing was too much trouble.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Sep 2018

Verified traveler

Just all around superb for couples.
Highly recommand to take a car to Elounda, Spinalonga and then finish off in Plaka for lunch/dinner.

10/10

Exceptional

05 Sep 2018

Verified traveler

Great stay home

Nice hotel and atmosphere.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

04 Sep 2018

Brittny

PERFECT BIRTHDAY

Initially, Insula Alba was not on my list of hotels. I had a previous reservation at a different hotel that cancelled. So I found this resort and booked last minute. The price that they offer for this resort seemed really good at the time. But after staying here for a few days, we got an amazing deal for an amazing resort.
Upon arrival we were greeted by staff and the reception desk were very friendly. As we were checking into our double bed basic view room, we were told that we had a surprise awaiting us when we got to our hotel room. I was very excited, I thought maybe they had found out it was my birthday and decorated my room. Instead the concierge whisked us to our rooms by way of golf cart and we arrived at our own private pool hotel suite. Not just for me, but for my family and friends. We all received upgraded hotel suites. I mean who can say no to that. I was floored. Every day that we were there was perfect. The hotel staff, the restaurant staff, the bar staff, everyone was accommodating and nice. I'm so glad that things didn't work out with our other reservation because this place is a hidden gem. I just wish I could've stayed longer.
The buffet breakfast, the views, the drinks, everything was perfect.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

03 Sep 2018

Jenny

Recommended for a relaxing stay.

We really enjoyed our stay at this hotel.
The staff were very friendly and helpful throughout our stay.
We booked a swim up room with a sharing pool which I would highly recommend. However, there are plenty of sunbeds around the outdoor pool so this is not essential.
There were lots of options at the food buffet and the food was really tasty. We swapped our evening meal for lunch in the beachfront restaurant a couple of times which was great.
The area is quiet so it is ideal for a relaxing stay but there aren't many bars or clubs. The pool bar is nice and serves great cocktails although they are expensive. Mojos bar nearby are very welcoming.

10/10

Exceptional

02 Sep 2018

sapir

Awsome

Amazing

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Aug 2018

Elizabeth

Fabulous food in the hotel. Great spa treatments.

Stunning pools lots of swimming opprtunties.
Safe areas to swim in the sea outside the hotel.
Dont miss eating dinner in the restaurant its excellent!
Treat yourself to spa treatments!

8/10

Excellent

09 Aug 2018

Verified traveler

Great Hotel!

Wonderful hotel, very clean, good location, great service. Breakfast was very good and tasty. Dinner also had lots of variety. Drinks are not included over dinner and it's expensive (4 € for a glass of apple juice, 3.5€ for a 250 m\"l of Cola). Pool bar is very nice. Everyone was really nice and helpful. lots of space by the pool. Peaceful hotel for a relaxing vacation with good vibes :)

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

13 Jul 2018

Eldar

It was great! Especially the staff. The room with a shared pool was a great choice as well. Will go back for sure.

8/10

Excellent

08 Jul 2018

neil

Nice quality hotel just a shame the town is poor with lack of interests

10/10

Exceptional

28 May 2018

G&J

Great experience! Hotel staff is very friendly and courteous. Property is clean and beautifully set up. Would definitely recommend this hotel. Nice location, nice scenery. Great attention to guests.

10/10

Exceptional

25 May 2018

sharon

מלון סוף הדרך , אוכל מעולה , ניקיון חבל על הזמן , שירות מעולה ומלון ברמה גבוה מאוד

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

08 May 2018

Verified traveler

The perfect holiday choice

Wonderful helpful and friendly staff in a really lovely hotel. Rooms with swim up pools are fabulous. Just perfect!

10/10

Exceptional

08 May 2018

Diana

Lovely hotel and lovely staying. Very nice and helpful staff.
The only thing we missed was that a hotel of this category didn't have an iron and iron board in the room. Also, the pool water in the swim-ups was quite cold.
Apart from these small things, very recommendable hotel.

10/10

Exceptional

07 May 2018

Verified traveler

Nice model hotel with private pools

Fabulous hotel. Very friendly staff, nice room with king size bed and good air conditioning. We stayed in a classic swim up room so had access to a pool directly from our balcony in addition to the main general pool. Really lovely hotel, definitely recommend. Only negative which has also been mentioned in previous reviews is the food was always warm/cold and not hot. The restaurant is spacious and nice with a variety of food to choose from. They also had live music playing in the restaurant on a Friday which was a nice touch. Lots of supermarkets, cafes, restaurants nearby and long stretch of the beach to go for walks. The beach in front of the hotel is a bit rocky but transitions to a nice sandy beach if you walk a short distance to either the left or right.

8/10

Excellent

02 May 2018

BHill

Beautiful Hotel that has all the amenities you can ask for.

10/10

Exceptional

24 Oct 2017

Ruth

Very relaxed atmosphere

This hotel is the ideal place to relax. The staff are very attentive and the rooms are extremely comfortable. The grounds are well maintained and the atmosphere is very relaxing. A great place to stay and unwind.

10/10

Exceptional

10 Oct 2017

Sandy

Perfection

Absolutely fantastic. Service, staff, facilities were all perfect. Just can't praise this place high enough. It was the perfect retreat for my girlfriend and I and would recommend highly for a romantic no kids screaming experience.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

09 Oct 2017

Verified traveler

Wonderful.

Relaxing holiday to recharge in a beautiful, well designed setting.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

05 Oct 2017

Teresa

Beautiful hotel

Booked this hotel stay end September/ beginning October to get some late sun before British winter kicks in. Travelled with my sister-in-law. The hotel is beautifully decorated throughout, the white decor giving it a clean, fresh and relaxing feel. The swim up rooms and outdoor plunge pools look stunning at night when all lit up. The main pool is really nice but, in late September, was cold but okay for a short swim once you were in.
The hotel had musicians playing on several occasions but they were not advertised so only a few people sat and watched them. No central area for people to congregate after dinner so everyone seemed to disappear back to their rooms.
The lack of things to do and places to go did make me completely relax for the week, which was perfect for a late summer break.

8/10

Excellent

04 Oct 2017

Verified traveler

Nice hotel, great staff.

This is a lovely hotel, with hard working, professional and friendly staff. Pool area is lovely and the place is quiet and relaxing. Ideal for a chilled out break . Nothing to see or do in the poor area outside the hotel, but day trip to Knossos and Hiraklion are interesting.

8/10

Excellent

19 Sep 2017

Ben

Pretty hotel, in a quiet location

Hotel was nice, so very nearly a 5-star, but lacking certain quality finishing touches. The rooms were clean and spacious, however lacked storage facilities for clothes and suitcases etc. The buffet breakfast was well presented, however there is no a la carte option for dinner - buffet for dinner 7-nights a week is a little basic for a hotel of this quality. The pool area was fantastic, including the pool bar staff and views. And finally, the spa was very nice - staff friendly and experienced, but the gym is a real let-down considering the amount of space in available in the foyer outside of the spa entrance. We had a very nice stay, these points were only minor details of an overall pleasant trip.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

12 Sep 2017

Great luxury in an adults only hotel

I stayed in one of the rooms with its own pool, it was very nice, spacious and quiet. The room layout is quite functional, except for the fact that there are no drawers or shelves, as indicated in other reviews. Other than that, the rooms was great.
The pool area is very nice, good space between the lounge chairs to provide some privacy. You can simply press a button and get service at your chair, ideal when you just want to spend a lazy time at the pool.
I stayed on a bed and breakfast basis so I cannot speak to the quality of the dinners. The breakfast buffet is varied and generous. And the lunch menu at the pool bar was very delicious, with generous quantities, except that I found it to be a bit limited.

10/10

Exceptional

04 Sep 2017

Chris

Fantastic, smart, modern and convenient

We stayed for a couple of weeks here, and were upgraded to a room with private pool - which was lovely. The hotel is immaculate and the staff throughout the resort were really excellent, friendly and welcoming. The pool area and bar were so great we had very little reason to venture out of the hotel - though the drinks (not included in the half board) were a little pricy. The bar staff at the poolside were very entertaining, getting to know everyone and treating everyone to the occasional raki.. :)

The gym and spa area are superb - we used the gym almost every day and has a massage, which was great.

There are plenty of bars / restaurants in the immediate area should you want to venture out (we didn't' as the hotel is lovely!)

8/10

Excellent

02 Sep 2017

Jatinder

Overall good. The pool was very cold though even though the weather was really hot was difficult to stay in the pool for too long. Slightly heated would have made it more enjoyable. 3.50EUR for a bottle of water from the pool bar is a bit steep given that next door supermarket is 25cents. You can see why guests took a stroll to the supermarket for refreshments instead of using the pool bar.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Aug 2017

Verified traveler

Wonderful and relaxing.

Staff are great. Special mention to Manos at the bar.

8/10

Excellent

20 Aug 2017

Natalia

nice Crete hotel

Nice Crete hotel: wonderful for Crete territory, amazing swimming pool. But not enough number of deck-chairs: no any free after 10 pm. So you have to go to the sea beach which is interesting experience: not far, but...There are plus and minus: free, enough deck- chairs, calm...but no other service at all, shoal-water due to breakwater. Room service is poor: room never was cleaned in time, which was not crucial for me but it is strange. Beach towels were not changed during this week! And they were at the room - no possibility to change near the pool/beach and necessary to take it from the room. Restaurant: nice personnel but they demonstrated more than can really do: everything is very polity but slow and do not completed in full. In general, as I did not wait for something extraordinary it was really nice experience.

10/10

Exceptional

06 Aug 2017

Matt

Great location to relax...

...with no screaming kids. But be mindful of the French resort next door! If you have a room facing that side, you will hear a lot of noise !
The Spa is particularly nice at Insula Alba, don't miss out on that.
Breakfast is fine, the dinner buffet gets a little bit repetitive after a few days (so we ate out, and there are a couple of small restaurants nearby but there isn't a great choice).
For one week this was a great location.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Jul 2017

Eyal

Great stay at Insula Alba

Great hotel. Very responsive staff.
Dinner is delicious.
Stayed at swim up room. If you want sunny room,ask for room # 1701-1704.
Main pool is very quite and relexing.
Nothing to do outside the hotel.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

11 Jul 2017

Jackie

Great Hotel......lovely location.

Lovely hotel. only problem was handrails we missing on stairwell and staircases. nothing to grab if you lose your balances or slip.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

05 Jul 2017

Verified traveler

Relaxing

Pleasant staff, very clean, nice large pool, food was so so. Short walk to beach but is not the best. 40 euro cab ride from airport and 35 euro from hotel to ferry port. 10 minute cab ride to Hersonissos.. plenty of bars restaurants along the water.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

18 Jun 2017

Amanda

Pretentious Hotel, Terrible Beach.

The breakfast is, pretty good. Dinner not so much. We mostly opted to eat dinner at one of the local restaurants. The hotel should focus on quality over variety. Also, more Greek dishes. I really do not expect to eat Chinese food on Crete.
I suspect the maids are overworked. They frequently got to our room late in the day. Room cleanliness mostly good. Mirrors were dusty though.
Beach there is unusable. Very rocky. The only plus to that was that it forced us to explore the island more. Vai Beach was incredible and great snorkeling.
This is not a five star hotel. Four stars at best. Three stars at best for the dinners.
There was a mixture of levels of service in the dining area. We liked Costas, he worked at the pool bar. Very nice bloke.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

08 Jun 2017

Verified traveler

Wonderful stylish hotel with fabulous staff!

I had a very happy relaxed stay with my sister over a five day period. Staff were amazingly helpful, attentive and cheerful. Everyone worked hard to ensure that we had a wonderful time. Could not have done more to make our stay a happier one.
Restaurant service and food was excellent and what we needed for our few days. We will both be back!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

04 Jun 2017

Verified traveler

Right on the Beach but why leave the pool, quiet village but worth going out for a bite to eat rather than staying for the Half Board dining

4/10

Poor

19 May 2017

Ollie

Nice modern hotel let down by restaurant

Myself and my wife stayed at the Insula Alba for our honeymoon in May this year, on arrival we were greeted by the front of house staff on reception, we cannot fault the welcome and help we were given when we arrived at the hotel, even for the time of day we arrived (around midnight) we felt welcome and were shown to our room, some champagne was setup in the room as well as a plate of cold cuts as we arrived late. I ate these regardless of the time of night, midnight cheese is the best cheese.

The next morning when we went for breakfast we were really happy with the selection of food on offer, service was a little slow (being asked if wanted coffee, orange juice etc) however the food wore a little thin after a week. Evening meals left a little bit to be desired, very salty food, I suspect this was done to make you pay for 4-6 Euro bottles of water. Again, as with the breakfast service we had often finished food before being offered a drink.

When asking one waitress for a drink adding that we had been ignored for a fairly long time, she said \"Ok...\" and walked off and continued to ignore us for the rest of the week, we then stole the unfinished bottle of expensive water from the next table because why not.

The manager of the restaurant (I think he was the manager anyway) was very selective on the people that he spoke to and showed around, if you were a young female or a couple of females then you got preferential treatment.

The pools were freezing.

Otherwise fine!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

15 May 2017

Heather

Very clean and modern hotel in a quiet area.

Fantastic hotel in an area outside hersonissos a nice handful of local shops and restaurants nearby. Superb hotel and facilities with very tasty food. Plenty of places to sunbathe although this could become more difficult as more people arrive in the height of the season. Staff were very good however a little slow at the bar.

10/10

Exceptional

09 May 2017

Verified traveler

Room with Private pool

Beautiful hotel, accommodating staff, polite, room with private pool was awesome. Best time of our lives. Lots of activities on site. Engaged in Pilates class, used gym facilities, used spa facilities

10/10

Exceptional

02 May 2017

Verified traveler

Best of the Best

I never rate any of my holidays but this place was just simply amazing! The location, facilities and off all The Staff. To me the service with a smile is very important and this is exactly what this offered. I would highly recommend this place and hopefully you get to enjoy cocktails made by Costa and Marnas. Both were simply amazing guys and great sense of humour. Big tick from me!

8/10

Excellent

30 Oct 2016

Kirsty

Modern hotel with good food.

This is a really modern hotel that is clean with nice facilities. The buffet was good with a varied selection of high quality food. During our stay the hotel was very quiet as it was the end of season, which we liked.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

26 Oct 2016

Verified traveler

Excellent Hotel, Facilities, Location.

Great for a short break. Hotel and facilities superb, food average.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 Oct 2016

Verified traveler

Insula Absolute Relaxation

Looked for a quiet hassle free break and that is what Crete and Insula Alba provided. Hotel facilities, i.e. restaurant and pool bar, (Kostas and Manos) and all the staff made the holiday. We could not ask for better service.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

25 Oct 2016

Verified traveler

Amazing!

It was amazing! The hotel is very clean, lovely staff. Quiet and calm ambience. It is highly recommended!

Partner

4/10

Poor

22 Oct 2016

ricjie

Close to beach

Not a 5 star hotel.

I stayed in many 5 star hotels but this hotel is trying to be 5 star but it miss something.

I can write lists and lists but I don't want to, but the thing that disappoint me is the reception staff. Quite unhelpful and on check in the lady got quite a unpleasant attitude towards me! Darling, if you are five star hotel you go far beyond and treat your customers nice ! We pay for the service !

The facilities are beautiful, but as they say: nice house but no emotion. And this hotel need service!

Also, they are not very gay friendly! Not good at all! We are all humans !

10/10

Exceptional

18 Oct 2016

mitch

Fabulous and a great holiday

The hotel is well located, about 15-20 mins from the airport, near to the shops, restaurant, and bars. The beach is just 5 mins walk. There were a lot of car rental services if you want to explore the island. There staffs were all welcoming and accommodating all were able to communicate in basic English. The room is being serviced everyday, lovely and comfortable room. There were a wide variety of food for breakfast and dinner (half board). We arrived at 11:30 pm, we were given a snack platter--A+ for that service. The spa facilities and the staff there were superb. The indoor and outdoor pool(overlooking the sea) were well maintained-the view was awesome. The maintenance team were very hardworking. There were also some offices around the area to arrange excursions or trips....I recommend to go on an island hopping to Santorini or Mykonos - was a great experience.

8/10

Excellent

12 Oct 2016

Verified traveler

Nice hotel , average food.

Nice surroundings but the food and the price of drinks let it down .

10/10

Exceptional

30 Sep 2016

Emily

Gorgeous hotel, boring, dirty area

The hotel, staff and food are fabulous. Definitely splurge and get a room with a swim up pool. The problem is Heronossis beach is terrible.
It's dirty, rocky and run down. The area is so boring and screaming for a redevelopment. We had just spent a glorious week traveling Mykonos and santorini so this part of Crete ended up being such a disappointment. We would try to stay at Balos Beach next time. People told me Crete was amazing. Sadly we didn't experience that!

10/10

Exceptional

25 Sep 2016

William & Lyn

Beautiful, relaxing hotel.

We stayed in a swim up room for 7 days, lovely room and a hotel that prides itself on excellent service. Would most definitely recommend this hotel if you are looking for a quiet relaxing break, near the sea & short walk to local tavernas. All staff are friendly & helpful and speak excellent English. There are 2 restaurants, both buffet & a la carte. The buffet is excellent & offers a great choice. Really excellent stay - thank you.

8/10

Excellent

22 Sep 2016

Moira

Lovely hotel but wouldn't book private pool room

We are just back from a lovely break away at this hotel. We booked one of the honeymoon rooms with a private pool which unfortunately got very little sun on the terrace, so had to buy a lilo and sunbath in the pool, which only got the sun until midday. The room was lovely but having a private pool wasn't worth the money. Some of the swim up rooms looked like they had sun, so when booking would be worth asking! Not a lot around but we hired a car for a couple of days and enjoyed the beautiful scenery and beaches about an hour away.

10/10

Exceptional

09 Sep 2016

Orel

Great hotel, high quality

Great hotel, definitely will come back, the only downside is the breakfast always the same, but still great food.
Location bit far from bars or shopping but if you got a car then its ok.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

06 Sep 2016

Yelena

Probably the best hotel in crete!!

This is the best hotel in Crete!! We had amazing 4 days! I don't even know where to start from. The room with the privet pool is great! Although it was a little bit too windy outside. The food in the buffet is also good! But could use more variety or change the menu once in a few days. The waitresses ADA and LOUISA were very kind and helpful. The whole staff in the kitchen were very helpful- I'm pregnant and they told me what was safe for me to eat and what not.
The hotel is VERY clean! Towels were changed daily.
I would gladly recommend this hotel to everyone who wants to visit crete.
My husband and I had a wonderful stay at Insula Alba hotel and hoping to come back soon!!!

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

30 Aug 2016

Verified traveler

Most relaxing holiday

The hotel is excellently situated, across the road from the beach, you could almost say beachfront hotel.
The swimming pool is huge, sparkling and even in high season and full occupancy, around the pool is relaxing and you have lots of space to yourself.

The rooms with private pools are the best, with the heat at night, it is so gratifying that you can take a dip anytime without having to go very far, or if the main pool is closed.
The rooms are large and spacious, very clean with everything you need on hand.

Staff are extremely friendly and helpful and always ready to assist.

The food is very good, high quality, great variety, looks and smells exceptional both at breakfast and dinner.

If you looking for a hotel where you can really switch off and have a guaranteed tranquility then this is definitely the place to be.

8/10

Excellent

18 Aug 2016

Verified traveler

Lovely pool

Beautiful pool and could always get sun beds. Food was good but selection didn't change much over the stay. Room could have been cleaned more, sheets weren't changed even though we stayed 9 nights ...

8/10

Excellent

28 Jul 2016

James

Nice relaxing get away.

Very nice, semi-all inclusive hotel. Buffet breakfasts/dinners were nice although alcohol (not included) was a bit pricey. Staff were all very, very friendly and helpful.

Having a room on the swim up pool (separate from the main pool) was really nice. No need to get up early to get a lounger since we always had one right outside our patio.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

24 Jul 2016

Verified traveler

Very nice modern hotel right by the sea

The Insula Alba is a very pleasant modern resort with a lovely large pool, excellent food and a beautiful view of the sea. The junior suite we stayed in was on two levels with a bathroom on each, air conditioning and a very comfortable bed. The staff were friendly and helpful at all times and I would definitely recommend it to friends and family.

8/10

Excellent

23 Jul 2016

thoughtfully designed and equipped hotel

Just returned from a very relaxing holiday. We had a swim-up room which was really good. We also enjoyed being a round the main pool, which is bigger than it looks in the photos. The hotel layout is very impressive and well thought out. The staff in the restaurant were very attentive and there was lots of choices for breakfast and dinner. We are planning a return visit!

The hotel isn't in the thick of things, but it's all nearby. We wanted a quiet and relaxing break and that's exactly what we got.

10/10

Exceptional

05 Jul 2016

Verified traveler

Fantastic stay at Insula Alba!

Great hotel, nice and new with fantastic facilities- pool rooms are a brilliant touch. The staff were really lovely, very attentive, cheerful and couldn't do enough for us. Overall a great, relaxing stay at Insula Alba- thank you!

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jul 2016

erela

Nice hotel \n\n\nwelcoming crew

Located near the beach.great profational spa . Helpful. Crew.

10/10

Exceptional

27 Jun 2016

Verified traveler

Stay here - no where else like it!

I would recommend this hotel to anyone who wants a beautiful hotel, with impeccable service - it was all perfect. I have never stayed at such an accommodating hotel, with such lovely people! In particular, a special shout out to Costa at the pool bar, he is a wonderful human being! Mixali, the hotel manager is also lovely and very attentive. They are wonderful and I would go back just to see them again!

The hotel is relaxing, the rooms are super and very clean, and the pool is wonderful! The food in the buffet restaurant was amazing and wasn't the same every day, which was nice.

If you want a chilled one, you can go to the pool bar at night. I really have nothing negative to say about the hotel - it is still relatively new, so there may be a few things they could do to further their amazing service - but they are all minor things - glasses in the bathroom to put your toothbrush/paste in, someone to go around the pool asking for drinks/collecting glasses/ashtrays etc (this seemed to happen sometimes but more often would be nice).

The wifi is a bit flaky, but that wasn't too big a problem, i was too busy enjoying myself anyway! I will be going back - and soon! Thanks Alba Insula, for a truly wonderful stay!

Family

8/10

Excellent

27 Jun 2016

Sue

a relaxing week

The hotel was everything it promised on the website: beautiful interiors, lots of space ... no kids! (I am a grandparent but it's good to have time out occasionally!) 'Insula' is perhaps a good name for the hotel. I didn't want to make friends for life but, perhaps because of lack of kids, everyone kept to themselves and there seemed to be little interaction amongst guests. This might suit some people but if you want to find other people to talk to, apart from your partner, you might have to be extra outgoing in order to start up a conversation. My criticism (below) re the big pool is another example of people not being very comradely. If you don't have a room with your own pool - as we did - you might have to participate in the selfish/childish ritual of reserving your sunbed with a towel at the crack of dawn. We had a pool and we couldn't face competing with these obsessive sun worshippers so we let them be. The hotel might suggest some polite etiquette to stop this becoming an issue. It could spoil an otherwise relaxing holiday.

Partner